(a) Field
The subject matter disclosed generally relates to compounds which may inhibit the activity of anti-apoptotic proteins. More specifically, the subject matter disclosed relates to compounds which may inhibit the activity of anti-apoptotic proteins such as Bcl-2 family protein members, compositions containing the compounds and methods of treating diseases involving a defect in apoptosis, such as, for example, in the treatment of cancer, or preventing a viral infection, or inhibiting the replication or infectivity of a virus
(b) Related Prior Art
Anti-apoptotic family protein members are associated with a number of diseases and thus are under investigation as potential therapeutic drug targets. Important targets for interventional therapy are the Bcl-2 family of proteins which include, for example, Bcl-2, Bcl-XI, Bcl-B, Bfl-1, Bcl-w and Mcl-1. A recent review described the therapeutic potential of small molecule Bcl-2 inhibitors (Vogler et al, Cell Death and Differentiation (2009) 16, 360-367). Recently inhibitors of Bcl-2 family members have been reported in the literature, see, for example, WO 2005/049594, WO 2005/117908, WO 2006/069441, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,720,338, 7,030,115, 7,709,467 and US2008/0188460. This invention is directed to a series of novel heterocyclic compounds that can inhibit Bcl-2 family proteins and promote apoptosis.